


Owl Eyes and Pretty Lies

by clarke666



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, SonOfAphrodite!Haechan, SonOfAthena!Doyoung, Will add more tags as I go, haechan is underage and doyoung is not, rated for eventual smut and language, so read at ur own risk lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:14:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24334957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarke666/pseuds/clarke666
Summary: Donghyuck didn't ask for this.He didn't ask to be an orphan. He didn't ask to have rotten luck. He didn't ask to be misjudged.He sure as hell didn't ask to be a demigod claimed three years too late.All he wants is to meet his mother, and he's willing to do nearly anything to make it happen.a pjo and nct crossover no one asked for... yet here it is.
Relationships: Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Comments: 22
Kudos: 77





	1. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!!!!!!!! This is my first fic so I appreciate any comments and recommendations y'all can give!
> 
> Mind the tags and warnings pls. Characters will be aged down for the most part.

Donghyuck had horrible, deplorable, pathetic, awful, bad luck. The worst luck.

It started with his mother abandoning him when he was just a few weeks old. Then he lost his father when he was 12. Then he got kicked out of his boarding school. Then he was asked to withdraw from his second. Then his third. Then his fourth. Then his- well, you get the idea. It wasn’t that he was necessarily a bad student. In fact, depending on who you ask, Donghyuck was a ray of sunshine wrapped in all things lovely. He is sweet, but he has a bit of a temper and absolutely never lets anyone walk all over him. If someone insults him or someone he loves, he will defend with all his might, whether it be with his wicked words or raging fists. His short fuse paired with his less than perfect academic standings made him an easy target for both students and teachers to pick on. His witty and charming words also got him in trouble as well. He’s convinced adults, kids, convenience store cashiers, the police, basically anyone he could talk to to give him what he wants. This gave him a reputation of being a thief and a brat. People around him learned to avoid talking to him. He doesn’t want to be alone. His loneliness was bestowed, not self-inflicted.

That leads us to the present. Sixteen years old, at his sixth school, and royally pissed off. He had gotten into yet another fight with one of his classmates, a boy named Kevin with a nasty sneer and an even nastier personality. It was his own fault for getting punched in his snooty, upturned nose. Kevin had the audacity to yank off his precious necklace. The necklace, the only gift Haechan had from his mother, was an oval shaped, emerald green pendant on a thin silver chain that sat just under his clavicle. Judging by its appearance, it was most likely worn by his mother herself. He has never taken it off. Not since he was attacked by a dog when he was 6. The very next day, a black velvet box with the necklace appeared under his pillow with a note asking him to wear it. It was signed “Eternally in my heart, Mommy” at the bottom. He remembers his father having to hold the boy as he sobbed uncontrollably for hours, clutching the box to his body. He’d rather sever his own hand then part with it.

He was currently sitting in a chair in the middle of the counselors office. Standing before him was his principal, counselor, and two security guards.

“Donghyuck, this is the third time you’ve gotten in trouble for physical altercations. We already gave you a warning last time you were here. What do you have to say for yourself?” His principal chided. If Kevin had a nasty disposition, she was even worse. She looked like she hadn’t smiled in her 50+ years of life. That paired with her severely tight bun and pointy shoulder pads made her seem incredibly pissy and uptight. 

“Kevin started it! If he knew how to keep his hands to himself his nose would still be in one piece,” Donghyuck responded heatedly. His principal’s scowl deepened at his words. 

“It’s over for you, Mr. Lee,” she spat out, “and we’re confiscating your jewelry. It was not allowed in our school code of conduct anyway.” The finality in her voice enraged Donghyuck in a way he’s never felt before. He attempted to launch at her, but didn’t get too far with the beefy security guards in the room. He was dragged begging them to let him go and take back what was taken from him. He was quite literally flung out of the gates with his luggage not far behind. 

He sat up in disbelief. There were many emotions running through him. Anger, disappointment, sadness, shame, confusion. He really wanted to make this one last. He doesn’t know where to go, who to call, who to trust. He’s never felt so helpless. He sits there unmoving for who knows how long just wallowing in the thought of his hopeless situation. Who does he turn to? His social worker? His grandma in Korea that he’s never met? He could get a hotel room with his inheritance, but what next? 

Snap.

His thoughts came to a grinding halt when he heard something from beyond the tree line of the woods next to his school. He quickly turned his head and his brown eyes made contact with very yellow, very not-human eyes. Donghyuck’s entire body seized in fear. The eyes started moving closer to him. Attached to them was a large, scaly head that seemed to go on forever. The giant snake must’ve been 30 feet long at least. It was covered in gruesome, slimy gray scales and large horns sprouting out of his head that got smaller and smaller as they travelled down its back. It was slowly inching closer and closer to him while showing off it’s disturbingly long teeth. This is the end, he thought, there is no way I’m making it out of this one. He closed his eyes as he felt its gross, hot breath fan across his face, saliva dripping onto his lap. Tears sprung into his eyes. He did not want to go out like this. He had so many questions that had to be answered. He’d hoped he’d live past 30 at least. He thought he’d die in some cool way, not as some overgrown worm’s lunch. He would die here alone with no one to mourn him. To miss him. His body would probably never be found. 

Then suddenly the looming presence disappeared. He could hear shouting and metal clanging, but he still couldn’t will himself to open his eyes. He was so terribly, terribly confused. This is all happening so fast that he couldn’t keep up. He wants to close his eyes and wake up in his childhood bedroom with his dad just beyond the door. He reached up to cover his ears as the tears started rolling down his face. His knees subconsciously travelled to his chest. He wanted it to stop. He wanted all of it to stop. He didn’t care that he was possibly crying in front of people. He didn’t care that the snake could kill him any second. Donghyuck was an inherently emotional person. The only thing he was good at was showing his emotions. 

He jumped as he felt something land on his shoulder. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes and was startled to meet another pair of human eyes. Three pairs of human eyes, in fact. Two boys and a girl were before him. The first boy was kneeling in front of him with a hand on his shoulder. His hair, pale pink, was parted down the middle and framing his large, dark eyes. He had an angular, handsome face with a scar indented under his left eye. The next boy was on the shorter side with strong eyebrows under his cropped bangs. He was smiling reassuringly, showing off a set of pristine white teeth. The girl had her hair tied back into a ponytail with piecy bangs nearly covering her eyes. She had such a beautiful face Donghyuck didn’t initially realize there was a bloody sword slung on her shoulders. Looking past her, his eyes widened at seeing the giant snake was practically cut in two with several other lacerations on its body. He was so intrigued by it he didn’t notice the first boy was talking to him.

“Hey! Are you okay? Helloooooo?” he said while shaking the unresponsive boy’s shoulder. “Irene, do something!” He shouted at the girl, now identified as Irene.

“Uh-uh. I don’t deal with crying. That's more Taeil’s wheelhouse. Taeil, do something,” she retorted while shoving the red-haired boy forward. He approached hesitantly, unsure of what to really do. He brushed the first boy’s hand off and replaced it with his own. He started shaking the crying boy violently, successfully bringing him out of his stupor. 

The first boy spoke first. “My name is Taeyong. Are you okay? You’re not hurt or anything, are you?” He said as he helped the young boy to his feet. The three started walking around him inspecting for injuries and other abnormalities.

“I-I’m fine! My name is D-Donghyuck.” His voice faded off into a whisper at the end. He was starting to feel embarrassed for being a crybaby. He opened his mouth to speak again when he noticed a red mist start surrounding him. He started panicking and tried reaching out to Taeyong, but halted when he noticed all three smiling excitedly, eyes full of wonder. The first change that happened was that his school uniform was replaced with a pair of leather sandals that fit over his calves, a white gown with a pink belt around his waist, and a sheer cape attached to his shoulders with gold clasps. Gold cuffs also adorned his upper arms and wrists. He felt his cropped school-approved haircut grow long, now touching his neck and a shade of honey brown. His sickly gray complexion warmed up to his natural golden tone that he had before he started being confined in his room as punishment for fighting. He felt the tiredness in his eyes dissipate, his chapped lips moisten, and his fingernails become uniform and shiny. Even though he was witnessing the impossible with his own eyes, what really caused his mind to reel and his heart to lurch was the presence of a dainty emerald necklace cold against his skin.


	2. Oasis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it this far, thanks so much!

Donghyuck could describe what he was feeling using a plethora of adjectives. Distraught. Disoriented. Amazed. Yeah, that’s a good word. But he was also, well, confused. How did he go to one of his lowest moments in recent history to trailing behind three strangers for what seemed like miles in a dress? Beats him. He’s just here because he really didn’t have any other option. He could feel tough twigs and leaves crunching under his sandals and on his now manicured toes. He was looking intently around trying to keep up with the three strangers moving expertly through the trees.

“W-where are we going?” Haechan gasped. He might have gotten a bit out of shape at this last school.

“We’re going to catch our ride. You’re probably gonna have to share with Taeyong, though, because Ruby can carry the most weight!” Taeil shouted from over his shoulder.

That did not reassure Donghyuck in the slightest. He prayed Ruby was the name of a bicycle or something he had a chance of surviving when he ultimately fell off. Much to his dismay, the trees started thinning out, revealing three very large, very intimidating horses. He swore he felt his soul leave his body when he got close enough to see they had wings. 

The horses … had WINGS.

He was about to run back where he came from to beg his principal to let him back in the school when the biggest of the horses, the one with the white coat and black mane, trotted over to him. His entire body seized up. This was like the giant snake all over again. This beast was massive, at least two heads taller than Donghyuck. He started shaking when Taeyong, bless his soul, jogged over and grabbed the horse’s reins.

“Calm down, Baby! This is Donghyuck, our new friend. We’ll be giving him a ride to camp. Sounds good?” The horse neighed back as if it understood what Taeyong was saying. Weird. So this must be Ruby. Donghyuck really wished his prayers for a vehicle with wheels had been answered right about now. Something else Taeyong said piqued Donghyuck’s interest.

“Camp?”

“How could we forget to tell him where we’re taking him?!” Taeil facepalmed. “Camp Half-Blood is a camp meant for people like us to cultivate our skills with protection from monsters like the basilisk you had the misfortune of meeting.”

“People like us?”

“Demigods. Y’know, half-human half-god?” Irene chimed in as if what she said was normal. “We all have one human parent and one godly parent. My dad is Ares, y’know, the god of war and all that. Taeil’s is Hephaestus and Taeyong’s mom is-”  
“Ya!” Taeyong interrupted, “Let’s not talk about this out in the open like this. Let’s get going before another monster decides to rain on our parade.” He jumped up on Ruby’s saddle with ease and offered his hand out to Donghyuck. He hesitantly took it and was surprised to feel himself lift off the ground and into the saddle in the blink of an eye. Taeyong was much stronger than his appearance led on. 

“I’m warning you, I’ve never ridden a horse before.” Just as Donghyuck muttered that, Ruby started slightly bucking. Donghyuck quickly wrapped his arms around Taeyong’s midsection with a vice grip.

“Woah! Hey, he didn’t mean that. He just doesn’t know!” Ruby huffed and relaxed with Taeyong’s words, although she was still visibly annoyed. He looked back to Donghyuck. “She gets mad when people call her a horse. Says it's an insult to her ancestors. Please call her a pegasus from now on.”

“Sorry, Ruby.” Donghyuck said sheepishly. Ruby huffed again in forgiveness.

Taeil and Irene mounted their brown and black pegasi, respectively. Then, without any warning, they broke into a run. Donghyuck held Taeyong tighter and squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation. He could hear their hooves hit the earth, then he felt their wings flap open. Wind was flapping violently around them, dishevelling Donghyuck’s previously perfect hairstyle. When the pegasi shot up from the ground, Donghyuck’s stomach fell down to his feet. He swore he could feel Taeyong’s ribs cracking from how tightly he was holding onto him. He wasn’t sure he could survive this one.

He was so lost in the thought of him nearly dying for the third time that day he didn’t even notice the pegasi had levelled out to a smooth glide. Upon hearing Irene’s cackling to his right, he cracked open his eyes ever so slightly. It was so bright that it blinded him for a brief moment. When his eyes adjusted, he realized the source of the blinding light was the sun, which should be normal under any other circumstances, however they were much closer than normal. There were no clouds to protect their eyes from the harsh rays. It took him a while to realize it was because the clouds were under them. Donghyuck knew he should be scared for his life, but with Taeyong in front of him and Irene and Taeil flanking each side of him, this was the safest he’s felt all day. 

“It’s cool, right?” Taeil shouted from his left. Donghyuck could only laugh in delight as he relaxed a bit. Now instead of the violent torrent of wind whipping him, a soft breeze gently caressed him. He expected the temperature to get warmer the closer he got to the sun, but instead it was nipply, enough to cause goosebumps to form over his soft golden skin, which was probably going to get more golden due to the direct exposure to the sun.

They glided not nearly long enough for Donghyuck’s liking. Today has already been one of the longest days of his life, so the silence was welcomed.

“You probably want to hold on!” Taeyong shouted back at him. Not a second later Ruby swooped down into the clouds. When they reammerged, under them this time, Donghyuck could see a birds-eye view of this Camp Half-Blood Taeil spoke about. It was actually fairly large considering it was a camp for kids and teens. There were many cabins, more than he could count, and it seemed like each had a very unique exterior. He could also see they had a field of fruits that he couldn’t discern, an amphitheatre, and a … lava wall? Donghyuck knew he wouldn’t be frequenting that often. 

As they got closer to the trees, Donghyuck couldn’t help but feel anxiety bubbling inside him again. What if they didn’t like him? What if people wanted to pick fights again? What if they didn’t let him stay?

He held his breath as Ruby’s hooves finally touched the earth again. He didn’t like to admit this, but he was scared. He wants somewhere to call home again.

Taeyong hopped off Ruby and offered Donghyuck his hand. Donghyuck took it without a second thought and felt his knees wobble as his feet fit the ground. Luckily Taeyong was there to catch him before he embarrassed himself again. As soon as he got his footing a group of five emerged from the gate that was before them. It said “Camp Half-Blood” in ancient Greek, which was strange because Donghyuck had no recollection of knowing the language before this very moment. 

Seeing an older man with a horse body for legs didn’t surprise Donghyuck as much as it probably should’ve. The top half of him was a fairly handsome, bearded middle aged man while the bottom half was a dark brown horse, sans wings this time. The Horse Man began talking to his three saviors. He took this time to really take in his surroundings. The camp beyond the gate looked like some kind of oasis. Too good to be true. There were many people milling around, some in t-shirts and some in full on Greek armor. Either way, Donghyuck felt extremely overdressed in his white and pink toda. Don't get him started on the plethora of jewelry he was wearing. To the right of the gate was a giant pine tree with some king of golden fabric on it. His eyes travelled down from the fleece to the base of the tree.

He gave a less-than-manly squeak and ran to Taeyong, using the boy as a human shield while frantically pointing in the direction of the tree. Wrapped around the base was a sleeping beast scaly like the basilisk he encountered earlier. He was disturbed to see no one else concerned about the sleeping death trap not 30 feet away. 

His head snapped up when he heard a booming laugh.

“Tell me, Mr. Moon, why did I send you on a quest for three yet you return with four?” The Horse Man spoke, more amused than anything.

“We came across him with the basilisk. If we’d found him any later he’d probably be dead.” Taeil said too nonchalantly for Donghyuck’s liking. “He was claimed not long after, so we decided it would be best to bring him along.”

“Very curious…” Horse Man trailed off as he looked to the muscular black haired boy with the bright smile to his left, “Mr. Lee, why don’t you take these three to the Apollo cabin to assess for any injuries. Mr. Seo,” this time referring to the extremely tall red head to his right,” why don’t you join them? I saw you get a pretty bad bump on the head on the volleyball court earlier.”

“Aw man! I wanted to see what this kid is all about,” the Seo guy complained, but still trailed after the other four anyway. 

That left Horse Man, a kid around his age with sweaty brown hair was smiling at him expectantly. He was probably just exercising before he came here. He seemed energetic and overall joyful, so Donghyuck hoped he could make a good first impression on him. He wanted to make at least one friend while he was here. To Horse Man’s right was another boy, this one older and taller, with extremely dark wavy black hair that covered his forehead. He had bright round eyes and an upturned mouth, however there was annoyance in his handsome face. Donghyuck would probably not be crossing paths with him too much. He wanted to prolong his time here as long as possible.

“Now tell me, young one.” Donghyuck was startled to hear Horse Man addressing him directly. “What is your name?”

“D-Donghyuck, s-s-sir!” he said, probably a bit too enthusiastically.

“It is nice to meet you, young man. My name is Chiron. I am the activities director here at Camp Half-Blood. To my left here is Mr. Mark Lee. He is a resident of the Hermes Cabin.” He put his hands on the energetic boy’s shoulder as he waved at him. 

“And this one here is Doyoung Kim. He’s the son of Athena and one of my helpers.” Doyoung’s chest seemed to puff up with the acknowledgement, however his annoyed face stayed the same. “If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”

“Sixteen, s-sir!”

The answer seemed to deeply trouble Chiron. Mark’s smile fell a little bit before returning. Even Doyoung’s stone mask seemed to crack a bit at his answer. What was so wrong with being sixteen? Was there an age limit to become a resident at the camp? Would they turn him away before he even got a chance to live there?

His anxiety must’ve shown on his face because Chiron was quick to speak up again. “It’s no worry, my boy. You’ve just been claimed a bit later than is allowed, but that's not your fault.” Chiron gave him what he probably thought was a reassuring smile, however it didn’t quell Donghyuck’s fears that he already started on bad terms. 

“Now speaking about claiming, your godly parent must be -”

“Aphrodite!” Mark interrupted. He shrank a bit under Chiron and Doyoung’s gaze. “Well, it’s true! Just look at him.” He trailed off.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Donghyuck said, probably sharper than he should’ve. He was just so used to automatically fighting people who scrutinized him for no good reason.

“N-no! Don’t take it the wrong way!” Mark quickly raised his hands to attempt to mend the situation. “It’s j-just that you’re…” he trailed off again. Donghyuck’s eyes were boring into him expectantly. “... very pretty.” He hesitantly finished.

Donghyuck was taken aback. He could feel heat travel to his face and ears. Pretty? Now that's one he’s never heard before. He probably looked confused, because Mark began to talk again.

“I mean, have you looked in the mirror?” Mark reached into his back pocket and pulled out a smartphone that Donghyuck has never seen on the market before. The other boy opened the camera app before handing it to him. 

Donghyuck swore he was looking at a stranger. The person staring back at him looked like him, but a perfect version of him. It was almost unsettling. Gone was his awkward haircut and tired eyes. What replaced them were rosy cheeks, plush lips, and glowing skin. Was this really what he could’ve looked like if he gave a damn? He could probably rule the world just by batting his now curled eyelashes alone.

“It could also be because he’s wearing Aphrodite’s signature claiming toga, dumbass.” Doyoung brought Donghyuck back to reality. He was looking at him with a sneer, and it made Donghyuck’s shoulders square again. He didn’t like his tone.

“Now, now, children, that’s enough.” Chiron chimed in before the situation could escalate any further, “Mark is right that Donghyuck here has been claimed by Aphrodite, albeit three years too late. We usually have a representative from your own cabin show you around, however under present circumstances, you will have to forgive us. Mark, would you be so kind and show him around. I’m sure he’s excited to be a permanent resident of Camp Half-Blood!”

“Sure thing!” He stepped forward and grabbed Donghyuck’s hand, pulling through the gates. He could feel a pair of eyes burning into the back of his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just forewarning y'all I played around a bit with ages. Taeyong is around 18 while Taeil and Doyoung are 19, almost 20. Please let me know if there are otherwise any mistakes or discrepancies!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	3. Barbie is Quaking in Her Boots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck meets some of his half-siblings.

Donghyuck was caught in a whirlwind of names and faces that he couldn’t possibly remember to save his life. His companion, Mark, talked a mile a minute without pause. He couldn’t help but let his eyes wander, his mind following close behind. There were many people around his age milling around. It was hard not to notice that everyone’s eyes lingered on him a little too long for his liking. News travelled too fast here, and he knew that would become a problem later.

He knew they were whispering about him and that put him on edge. His ears caught some talk of the “late bloomer” and some other rather embarrassing comments about his appearance he’d wish he hadn’t heard. He didn’t want to be yet another spectacle. He subconsciously brought his arms close trying to appear as small as possible.

“... and this is your cabin!” Mark’s words snapped him out of his inner turmoil. 

It was very… pink.

It looked straight out of some kind of Barbie dreamhouse ad, but with a distinct Greek spin on it. It looked like the ancient temples he had seen in his History textbooks, but instead of the dilapidated appearance they took on, it was pristine and, well, pink. Donghyuck also didn’t recall temples ever having pink potted plants on the windowsills, either. He could smell a sweet, but not unpleasant scent wafting from it, most likely perfume. He could swear the cabin sparkled from how tidy it was. It sure was a step up from his school dorm with its cinder block walls, but would he really be able to get used to living here? 

While admiring the façade, Donghyuck’s eye zoned in on movement he saw in the windows. There were many people peeking out the window, some pushing others to get a better look at “the late bloomer”. Some were looking out of curiosity, some giggling and whispering, and others were just looking at him with plain disgust. 

“Don’t worry about them. They’re just jealous because you’re prettier than them.” Mark said matter-of-factly. Even with his nonchalant tone, Donghyuck couldn’t help but feel heat traveling to his cheeks. 

“First off we should introduce you to Jungwoo, the head counselor of Cabin 10.” Before Donghyuck could request details about said “head of cabin 10”, Mark turned and clamored up the stone steps to the hot pink door, completed with a heart-shaped door plate with the number 10 etched in curly letters. He pounded on the door with a closed fist. He could hear rustling and what was probably supposed to be whispering coming from inside, however whoever was inside didn’t do a great job at being discreet. 

The door opened to reveal a boy not much older than Donghyuck with shiny black hair and perfect, white teeth surrounded by plump pink lips. He stood with a hand on his hip and a mischievous glint in his eye. 

“And to what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Lee,” the boy said, his voice soft and airy. He was awfully flirty, but Donghyuck had a feeling he wasn’t actually trying to pursue Mark. That must’ve just been his personality. 

“Jungwoo! I come bearing gifts. Meet your new half-brother, Donghyuck. Donghyuck,” he said turning his attention to the fidgeting boy on his left, “this is the head counselor of Cabin 10, Jungwoo. He will be taking care of you-“

“- so please come to me if you need anything,” Jungwoo interrupted with a wink. “Please, step inside so I could show you around.” He grabbed Donghyuck by the hand and hauled him inside. He was much stronger than his appearance let on. The door was shut in Mark’s face, but Donghyuck could hear Mark’s promise to pick him up later for dinner through the door. 

Just when he thought this place couldn’t get any more pink, the interior of the cabin made the exterior look bland. The walls were pink. The floors were pink. The couch and armchairs in the center of the cabin were pink. The vanities were pink. At least the bed sheets were a pale blue and the chandeliers were clear crystal. There were about ten beds in total, five on either side of the lounge. By the looks of it, only about seven of the beds were currently occupied. Donghyuck noted that his muddy suitcase was at the foot of the bed farthest to the back on the left side of the cabin. 

Jungwoo still had a vice grip on Donghyuck’s hand when he raised it up in the air. “Everyone!” He shouted, which was unnecessary as the residents of the cabin were already looking expectantly at him. “This is our new brother, Donghyuck. Please treat him kindly, or not we’ll have a problem on our hands, won’t we?” He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. It came out more as a threat than a suggestion. He’d have to ask Mark about his new roommates later. 

Two of his new half-siblings enthusiastically rushed to greet him. Both had amazingly bright smiles. 

“My name is Na Jaemin, and my companion here goes by Winwin. Welcome to our cabin!” The shorter of the two exclaimed. He had a handsome, boyish face with an elegantly long neck. His silvery-blue hair was a stark contrast to his dark, strong eyebrows, but it was in no way displeasing to the eye. Winwin was taller and had his brown hair cropped short and styled expertly. He had a nice athletic build and sparkling eyes. Despite his manly appearance, he seemed a bit shy and reserved. 

“Let us show you to your bed!” Jaemin led him to the back of the cabin to an unused bed on the left side of the lounge. It was right under a window, which might mess with his sleep schedule. Donghyuck always had a hard time sleeping in well-lit areas. The walls surrounding the bed was bare, in contrast to his new siblings’ walls, which had posters of various celebrities and idols. 

Donghyuck’s luggage, still muddy from being thrown by the asshole security guards at his school, looked shabby next to the pristine bedding. It didn’t seem to bother Jaemin and Winwin though, the former making himself right at home sitting at the end of the mattress. The latter chose to just stand off to the side instead. 

“So… how old are you?” Jaemin started. 

“16.”

“Ah, we’re the same age! Let’s see…” he continued. “What are some of your favorite hobbies?”

Donghyuck took some time to think. No one had ever been interested much in what he liked. “I like dancing… and singing… I play a bit of the piano.”

“Oh! Then you’ll love it here. Every Friday we all gather to sing songs around the campfire. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s more fun than it sounds, right Winwin?” Jaemin said looking up at the boy standing next to him. He simply nodded with a small smile. “Who knows, you might give the Apollo kids a run for their money. They like to get real cocky while singing.” Jaemin trailed off. 

“Ah, I don’t really sing in front of people,” Donghyuck said while scratching the back of his head. He knew he had a pretty voice. Beautiful, in fact. He just didn’t want to draw any unneeded attention to himself. Being the new kid was bad enough. 

“Say,” Donghyuck continued, “why is everyone calling me a late bloomer? How could they possibly know when I went through puberty if they haven’t met me?” 

Jaemin let out a laugh. Even Winwin let out a small huff, but he tried (and failed) masking it as a cough. Donghyuck felt all the heat rush to his face. Did he say something wrong?

“It doesn’t have anything to do with puberty!” Jaemin answered once he caught his breath. “It’s just because you were claimed, like, really late. Since Percy Jackson saved the world a few years back, the gods have to claim their kids by the time they’re 13. But seriously, how did you go under the radar so long?”

“I… I have no idea! I didn’t know any of this even existed until, like, 3 hours ago!” Donghyuck rambled. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No! No it’s not something you did… I think the blame lies more on our mother. That’s her job.” Jaemin replied. 

Donghyuck’s ears perked up at the mention of his mother. Did this mean he would be able to see her? Did she even want to see him? He admits, it was some kind of relief knowing that his mother wasn’t dead. Or that she didn’t abandon him without reason. 

“So…” Donghyuck tried not to sound too excited. “When will I get to see my- I’m sorry- our mother? Does she ever visit? Do we visit her?”

Jaemin and Winwin shared a look, both their postures straightening up a bit. Donghyuck didn’t know why, but his heart sunk a bit at seeing their reactions. They were silent for a bit, looking unsure and regretful. Jaemin put a hand on his bare shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Hyuck. It’s just-“ Jaemin let out a sigh, not meeting his eyes,”There’s just, like, an unwritten rule that gods aren’t really allowed to interfere with our lives. Whenever they do, it ends badly.” 

Donghyuck was pretty sure he could physically feel his heart splitting in two. He feels so stupid. Why did he even get his hopes up? Nothing ever works out the way he wants it to. He hated the fact that he could feel tears welling in his eyes. He didn’t want to look weak in front of the people he would be living with indefinitely. He ducked his head. 

“H-hey! Don’t cry!” Jaemin put both his hands on his shoulder this time. “Listen, I was pretty torn up about it, too. But I really found my place here. I have a family now. A real family. Brothers and sisters… I never thought I’d have siblings to call my own. I was always alone. Couldn’t make any friends. It was the same for Winwin. But now we’re here with people who truly understand us. Who won’t judge us for being different. We’re here to take of each other, whether you want us or not.” Jaemin finished with a slight laugh. 

Donghyuck didn’t think he would get over this any time soon. Not by a long shot. But he did think that maybe these people that he’s met, his family, will be able to distract a bit from the pain. He couldn’t help but return Jaemin’s courageous smile. Winwin reached over and ruffled his perfect hair. 

Outside he heard a bell tolling. His head snapped up in question. 

“I’m sure you don’t want to go to dinner in a dress. Jungwoo just brought you this. Why don’t you change?” Winwin said quietly. 

In his hands was a bright orange shirt, “Camp Half Blood” printed on the front.


	4. A Declaration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally some food.

Donghyuck could feel everyone’s eyes on him at the dining pavilion, but at least now he had a distraction in the form of his two new half-brothers and Mark, who had been waiting for him outside Cabin 12. If he could tell Donghyuck had been crying, he made no mention of it, thankfully. He managed to change out of the clothes his mother gifted him, but it looked like his perfect hair and clear, glowing skin was there to stay. If what Jaemin said had any truth to it, he was stuck looking like the personification of perfection for at least a week. 

The dining pavilion was completely outdoors. There were many tables of varying sizes arranged around a large fire in the center. He recognized Jungwoo and a couple other residents of his cabin sitting together at one of the larger tables. 

“Mark! Over here!” The tallest boy from earlier, Seo, started waving one of his long arms in their direction. Mark looked over his shoulder at Donghyuck with an apologetic look on his face. “Johnny’s been bugging me to take a look at his new Mythomagic cards. Will you be okay with the Aphrodite kids?” Mark whispered the last part so that Jaemin and Winwin wouldn’t hear. Donghyuck appreciated the concern, but thought it was unfounded.

“Don’t worry about me. Jaemin and Winwin have been nothing but nice to me. And Jungwoo is sweet, too. Plus I have you watching my back, don't I?” Donghyuck smiled and winked, causing Mark to turn impossibly red. It wasn’t just his wittiness that got him in trouble in school. He was also notoriously flirty, oftentimes unconsciously. He wasn’t actually interested in the people he flirted with, it was just the way he talked. Now that he knows a bit more about his lineage, he better understands why he does the things he does. 

“I- I mean…” Mark sputtered and Donghyuck let out a laugh at his reaction. “A-anyway, they’re not really the ones I’m worried about. If anyone gives you any trouble, tell Jungwoo immediately. Seriously, I’ve seen just how vicious some of your siblings can get.” He finished with a serious tone. That caused Donghyuck to sober up a bit. As he turned to question his friend, he felt himself bump into something dense… something that smelt like honey and almonds. It was then Donghyuck realized he didn’t bump into something, but someone.

He looked up to see none other than Kim Doyoung looking down at him with a bored, almost annoyed expression. Their close proximity caused Donghyuck to jump back to stand a bit behind Mark, who had stiffened up as if he got caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. “I hope you’re not conspiring to break the dining pavilion rules with the other Mr. Lee here,” he sneered at Mark, “You know sitting at a table not assigned to you is strictly prohibited.” He then turned to Donghyuck, eyes sharpening in a menacing way. A small smile played on his pointy lips, but there was nothing warm and inviting about it.

“Donghyuck, was it?” His words felt like needles piercing his skin. “I suggest you don’t start making trouble here at Camp Halfblood. I’ve heard about your… previous issues.” The left side of his lips curled upwards even more, a slightly crazed look overtook his eyes. 

In Donghyuck’s words, this guy was a dick.

That feeling he got when assholes from school talked down to him started bubbling up in his chest. His jaw hardened and his hands turned to fist. He absolutely hated when people judged him based on his past. Who did this guy think he was? 

He had planted his feet, ready to punch the stupidly attractive smirk from Doyoung’s face when he felt a warm hand encircling his wrist. His head snapped to face Mark, who was looking at him with even greater concern than before. From the corner of his eye he saw Winwin and Jaemin turning towards them. This caused all hostility Donghyuck felt in his body to drain out almost as fast as it came. He had a chance to build something good here, and he didn’t want his short temper to ruin his chance at having any semblance of a family.

He turned to Doyoung, who was glaring down towards Mark’s hand on his arm. Donghyuck shook his friend’s hand off and stalked confidently up to Doyoung, their chests almost touching. The older boy’s eyes snapped up, eyebrow quirking in confusion. Now Donghyuck was the one with a smirk on his face.

“If you wanted my attention that badly, you didn’t have to make a scene. Jealousy is an ugly look on you.” Donghyuck giggled and stepped gracefully around a baffled Doyoung. Everyone within a 15 foot radius had their mouths open in shock. No one dared talk to him in such a manner. It was unheard of.

Within minutes news of the interaction spread through the dining pavilion, and then through the entire camp. The late bloomer just declared war with Doyoung Kim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that this chapter is so short :((( i feel like i've gone too long without an update. sorry for any mistakes lmao thanks again for reading this far!


	5. Questions and... More Questions

Donghyuck could hear his half brothers trailing after him. Mark, still stunned, walked to his table where Johnny was waiting, but not before stumbling on a stray quiver. When the adrenaline wore off he realized he actually had no idea where he was going. He looked over his shoulder at Winwin and Jaemin, who were staring at him with wide eyes. 

“What?” Donghyuck asked, feigning ignorance. He knew exactly what he did back there. Any consequences he faced down the line were worth it. The look on Doyoung’s face was priceless. He didn’t know if the man turned beet red because of anger, embarrassment, intrigue, or some combination of all three. He had a feeling he’d have fun riling up the golden child of camp.

“What- Why- I mean, how did you do that?” There was genuine disbelief in Jaemin’s tone. 

“Do what?”

“Stand up to Doyoung like that? We’ve never heard of anyone getting the last word while arguing with him like that. Not in the 11 years he’s been here! He’s a menace.” All three of them sat down at their assigned table, completely forgetting the real reason they went in the first place.

“Wait, did you say he’s been here 11 years?” That caught Donghyuck’s interest. Eleven years seemed like a long time to stay at a camp. That had to be nearly half his life spent at Camp Halfblood.

Jaemin and Winwin ducked their heads, prompting Donghyuck to lower his too. “Apparently he just showed up outside camp one day all by himself. No note, no luggage. All he had was the clothes on his back and the symbol of Apollo above his head.” Jaemin whispered.

“Supposedly.” Winwin interrupted.

“Yeah, sure, supposedly. Anyway he’s been here since. We think Chiron and Mr. D, you probably know him as Dionysus, have a soft spot for him. That’s why he has so much power in camp.”

Donghyuck didn’t know what to do with this information. If what Jaemin said was true, that meant Doyoung was practically an orphan, not dissimilar from himself. He sympathized with him in a way, but he didn’t think that was a good enough reason to be a dick. 

“Spreading rumors, Na?” One of the most handsome men Donghyuck has ever seen spoke up from above them. Behind him were to other boys, both tall like models. One of them had a sweet, puppy-like face while the other had sharp eyes and a pointy nose. The one who spoke had a dangerous glint in his eyes. Donghyuck had a feeling these were the people Mark had warned him about.

“None of your business, Choi. Go stick your nose somewhere else it doesn’t belong. Just looking at you gives me a headache.” Jaemin sneered back. Even Winwin squared his broad shoulders.

“My, my. Is that any way to talk in front of our new brother? You’re so rude.” He then turned to Donghyuck, a sly smile adorning his angular face. “I’m San, by the way. This is Yunho and Mingi. Why don’t you come sit with us? I can assure you we’re much better company than these Hollister rejects.” 

Great, another asshole with his eyes on Donghyuck. He tried his absolute hardest to keep from rolling his eyes. He’s pretty sure he saw these guys in cabin 10 earlier. Not once did they come say hi, but they sure made it a point to stare and whisper about him. He absolutely did not like how San talked about Jaemin and Winwin either. 

Against his better judgement, he decided to hold his tongue. He did not want to make yet another enemy at camp. He hasn’t been here long.

“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll stay here.” Donghyuck made sure his smile did not reach his eyes.

Apparently this was the wrong answer, because the smile on San’s face fell into a sneer, but was replaced by another sly smile when he caught himself. “Suit yourself. Don’t expect another offer of our allegiance. And don’t think so highly of yourself after that stunt you pulled earlier. Being a nuisance isn’t a cute look.” And with that, he lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and walked away, swinging his hips ever so enticingly. Mingi and Yunho followed close behind, but offered what might have been an apologetic look over to the three boys.

“Well that was pleasant.” Jaemin exasperated as he began rubbing his temples. Winwin let out the breath he had been holding and allowed his shoulders to relax a bit. “We’re sorry about that. San ego became inflated when he realized he’s the prettiest son of Aphrodite. Well, used to be, I suppose. You definitely give him a run for his money.” He said that while looking directly at Donghyuck.

He let out a genuine laugh. Him? Prettier than San? That has to be the most absurd thing he’s heard for a while, and he just found out that Greek gods exist.

“San looks like he just walked off the cover of Vogue. I don’t even compare!”

“Ya! You need to give yourself more credit. Besides, I’ve lived with him long enough to recognize when he feels threatened.” Even Winwin was nodding along to Jaemin’s words.

Donghyuck grew up being average. Average looks, average grades, average personality. So sue him if he doesn’t believe anything that is coming out of Jaemin’s mouth right now.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Besides those small hiccups at the beginning, Donghyuck had adjusted surprisingly well to like at Camp Halfblood. Doyoung was ignoring him for the most part. He still caught the older boy giving him dirty looks from the corner of his eye, but he always managed to look away before they could make eye contact. He supposed it was better than having Doyoung constantly belittling him. Though, Donghyuck would never admit out loud how much he craves to rile the boy up. Make him snap again.

San, on the other hand, was a bit more obvious about his dislike for Donghyuck. He never fails to make some rude comment about his appearance (which has somewhat gone back to normal, thank goodness), his late claim, or his temper. Most of the time, it's in passing, but it is always just loud enough to catch Donghyuck’s ears. He’s genuinely lucky to have Jaemin and Winwin by his side. He didn’t know if he could handle the purposeful attempts at ostracizing him. 

It was about 10 days after his arrival that Chiron summoned him to the Big House. Donghyuck had been trying his best to behave, so when Mark called him out of his cabin he was anxious. Did they want to kick him out? What did he do wrong this time? Each step he took up the stairs to the front door felt like he was taking one step closer to his doom. 

Once inside, Mark led him to a large bronze door, which he proceeded to knock on. “I’ll see you for archery later. I wouldn’t worry too much about Chiron, he’s a pretty chill guy.” Mark gave what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile. Donghyuck read it as pity. 

Once Mark walked away, Donghyuck entered the threshold of the large office. Italian opera music was playing quietly from a boombox at the corner of the room. Chiron stood looking out a window behind his large mahogany desk. Much to Donghyuck’s surprise, Taeil was leaning against the wall next to Chiron. Much to his displeasure, Doyoung was also there, but didn’t meet his eyes like the others did. It looked like he had just interrupted a conversation. He was just about to turn to leave when Chiron gave him a smile. “Please sit down, my boy! No need to look like a satyr caught in headlights.” His booming voice spurred Donghyuck to quickly sit in one of the worn leather chairs across the desk. 

“We’d just like to ask you a few questions regarding you claiming. Mr. Moon is here to offer his technological expertise, being the head counselor for the Hephaestus cabin. Mr. Kim is here for his overall knowledge of godly workings,” Chiron started. Donghyuck nodded, not really knowing what else to do. Is this where they find the reason to kick him out? Was he defected? 

“As you probably know by now, it is extremely uncommon for a demigod of your age and lineage to be claimed so late. There are rules in place regarding claiming, and Aphrodite is usually good about keeping up with it. Did you know about your mother before arriving here?” Chiron asked kindly. 

“No, sir. All I knew was that she left me and my father when I was a baby. I… I don’t remember anything about her,” Donghyuck ended quietly, trying not to let his disappointment show. 

“Did your father ever mention anything about her? Where she went?”

“All he mentioned was that she couldn’t stay. And that…” he paused to take a shuddering breath. He didn’t like talking about his abandonment. He sure as hell didn’t like talking about his father. “And that she loved me. That she didn’t want to leave, but she didn’t have a choice.”

“Did she leave anything?”

That caused Donghyuck to pause. He didn’t want to get in trouble. He didn’t want his mother to get in trouble, either. Sure, she left him, but that didn’t mean he didn’t mean he didn’t love her in his own way. 

Chiron must’ve sense his hesitance, because he continued, “You need not worry. You’re not in trouble. We just need to piece this mystery together just in case you might be in further danger. There’s a reason gods aren’t allowed to meddle with their children’s lives.”

A few more seconds of silence passed when Donghyuck, albeit hesitantly, began to speak. “She left me this necklace. She wrote a note telling me not to take it off, so I never did. At least not willingly.” He pulled down his t-shirt to show the delicate piece of jewelry. Taeil’s eyes widened as he hurried over to look at it. 

“May I see that?” He asked rapidly. Donghyuck’s hands came up to cover it as he turned away slightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll give it back! I just need a look at it. Please?” He asked while holding his hand out. Chiron was also looking at him expectantly. Looks like he didn’t have a choice. Even Doyoung was peering over at him. 

He reached up with shaky hands to unclasp it. As soon as he unwrapped it from his slender neck, Taeil snatched it and began closely observing it with a small magnifier he pulled from the toolbelt around his waist. Donghyuck let out a shout as his fists clenched. He was about to get up from his seat, ready to reprimand Taeil for his rough treatment when Chiron held up a hand, silencing his protests. He sat back down with a huff as he crossed his arms. 

Taeil paid no mind as he brought the necklace under a lamp Chiron had on his desk. “What do you see, Mr. Moon,” Chiron asked. 

“This was definitely forged by my father. It has his insignia on the back of the pendant. It’s made of pure Adamantine, from what I can tell. I’ve never seen it in real life, though.” This caused Doyoung to leave his spot to get a closer look at the necklace himself. 

“What’s that?” Donghyuck asked, though it fell on deaf ears. Everyone was too busy hunched over his necklace. He does not like being ignored. “Hey!” His shout broke everyone out of their trance. “I asked, what’s Adamantine?” 

Not looking up, Taeil said nonchalantly, “It’s like Celestial Bronze or Stygian Iron in that it repels and kills monsters. What those don’t do that your necklace does is that it also affects gods as well. The gates of Tartarus are made of it. It could explain why you’ve been under the radar for so long. No one could tell you existed.”

“Huh, that could explain why the basilisk suddenly showed up.” Donghyuck said under his breath, though clearly loud enough for Chiron to hear. “What do you mean by that, my boy?” 

“Well, the day I was brought here, some asshole from my class ripped it off my neck. It was confiscated by the headmaster, so I wasn’t wearing it when the basilisk attacked me.” Donghyuck couldn’t believe he carried around something so powerful for so long. 

“That explains why he lived for so long outside of camp, but that doesn’t explain why Aphrodite gave it to him in the first place.” Doyoung said. Donghyuck didn’t have an answer for that. 

“Thank you for your time, Donghyuck. Mr. Moon, give this young man his necklace back. It clearly means a lot to him. And walk him back to his cabin, too. Mr. Kim, you stay here.” Taeil gave the necklace back, though Donghyuck had to pry it from his hands. He looked like it was painful to let something so rare go. 

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Both boys were lost in thought as they walked slowly to Cabin 10. Now, Donghyuck had more questions than answers about his mother. Why did he receive this when his other siblings didn’t? Why did she care so much whether he lived or died? It seemed like her “helping” him has caused more harm than good, seeing as he became a spectacle wherever he went. What he would give to just be able to talk to her. 

It was at that thought that an idea popped into his head. Now seemed like a good time to put some of his magical powers to the test. 

He felt his tongue tingle as he began speaking, “Say, Taeil, do you know of any way I would be able to contact my mother directly without having to use a middleman?” He saw Taeil’s eyes get glassy and lose focus as his charmspeak, as Jaemin called it, was put into action. 

“Yes, I know of a way.” He said casually. 

“And would you be able to show me how?” Donghyuck smiled slyly. It was working. 

“Yes, I have the instructions for the Chagrin Basin in my toolbelt.”

“Wonderful, could I have it?” Donghyuck held out his manicured hand expectantly. He was giddy with excitement as Taeil reached down to his belt. He pulled out a small worn leather journal that looked like it has been used countless times. He turned to a page full of scribbled notes and ripped it out, handing it to Donghyuck. It felt heavy in his hands. 

“Thanks so much, hyung,” he said sweetly using honorifics, “Please forget we ever had this conversation. Go ahead and go to your cabin.”

Taeil nodded and walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw i love ateez i just needed someone for story development :(


End file.
